Recommendations for a head unit with Apple CarPlay?

[DWilliam]

I’m looking for one with a physical volume knob. I have a top of the line Pioneer in my Sprinter and I absolutely hate the lack of a volume knob. Boss makes on which has good reviews on Crutchfield, any others I should be looking at? Don’t need CD or backup camera, just Apple Car Play for Bluetooth, gps, etc.

Also, is the install pretty easy?

 

[Zhehan]

I like Kenwood. I have the KDC-X705, and I've also had the KDC-BT652U and both of them are good-sounding units with nice features.

 

[ads2539]

I have no idea if those Kenwood head units have Apple CarPlay.

It sounds like you’ve already seen what Crutchfield has. I think the combination of a volume knob and Apple CarPlay is going to be hard to find. I have an older Clarion head unit with a volume knob, but no Apple CarPlay.

 

[DWilliam]

I have no idea if those Kenwood head units have Apple CarPlay.

It sounds like you’ve already seen what Crutchfield has. I think the combination of a volume knob and Apple CarPlay is going to be hard to find. I have an older Clarion head unit with a volume knob, but no Apple CarPlay.

I’m wondering about even needing CarPlay, considering the location would be rather distracting for gps and general audio changes. I’m thinking a “normal” doubledin that I could connect using Bluetooth to play music and have my phone on a mount higher up. This boss seems like it has decent reviews, plus I could still use my phone higher on the dash for navigation or song changes.

Boss BE62CP Digital multimedia receiver (does not play discs) at Crutchfield

 

[ads2539]

I, personally, have no use for Apple CarPlay. I’m old, and old school. Almost all of my music is on CDs, and I have a stand alone Garmin GPS. My head unit does have bluetooth and an aux jack, but not much else, so I can still listen to the rare iTunes song(s) that I don’t have on CD.

(I’m so old school, I don’t even take my iPhone with me all the time when I leave my house.)

 

[Rushthezeppelin]

Some of the Atoto 7" had units have volume knobs. My F7XE single din 10.1" has buttons. Also have the IR remote which has a knob built into the vessel and it's mounted on the wheel. Hated to go wrong with Atoto if you are on a budget.

 

[Ph03n1x24]

I’m looking for one with a physical volume knob. I have a top of the line Pioneer in my Sprinter and I absolutely hate the lack of a volume knob. Boss makes on which has good reviews on Crutchfield, any others I should be looking at? Don’t need CD or backup camera, just Apple Car Play for Bluetooth, gps, etc.

Also, is the install pretty easy?

Boss BE7ACP-SD
Boss BE62CP
Boss BE9ACP
Boss BE10ACP
Boss Audio BECPA10W
Kenwood DMX1037S
Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX1057XR
Kenwood Excelon Reference DNR1007XR
Kenwood DNR1008RVS

Hope this helps!

 

[Auce]

I’m looking for one with a physical volume knob. I have a top of the line Pioneer in my Sprinter and I absolutely hate the lack of a volume knob. Boss makes on which has good reviews on Crutchfield, any others I should be looking at? Don’t need CD or backup camera, just Apple Car Play for Bluetooth, gps, etc.

Also, is the install pretty easy?

D, Sony has one affordable model in the XAV series with a physical knob, the AX1000. I have the XAV-150 and love it.

Relatively easy to install. You need to be sure to bypass the stock amp before you do anything, i'd suggest a Metra wiring harness to make it a lot easier for the new harness.

I judt did a speaker upgrade also. new componenets in the front and coaxial in the rear. Little did I know I'll likely need an amp now. The Sony head unit doesnt have enough power to drive good speakers to their range.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-6...hHm9ApFMHjIAy_0A_qBoC4wsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[poisedforflight]

Some of the Atoto 7" had units have volume knobs. My F7XE single din 10.1" has buttons. Also have the IR remote which has a knob built into the vessel and it's mounted on the wheel. Hated to go wrong with Atoto if you are on a budget.

Do you have a picture of this installed? Does it cover up anything like A/C controls?

 

[Rushthezeppelin]

Do you have a picture of this installed? Does it cover up anything like A/C controls?

It very much does lol. Doesn't make it impossible to use them but tricky for sure. I'm planning on doing a mod where I swap a single din slot up where the vents are and put the vents in the double din slot. I really want navigation to be in my normal field of view when driving.

 

[poisedforflight]

It very much does lol. Doesn't make it impossible to use them but tricky for sure. I'm planning on doing a mod where I swap a single din slot up where the vents are and put the vents in the double din slot. I really want navigation to be in my normal field of view when driving.

I'm following your adventure on that, I would like to do the same.

 

[DenverAirport]

SONY.

They have so many different models that are Carplay compatible. Some of the older models have volume knobs, newer ones too but less of the time. They look OE and are functionally awesome. I got an older model with both Carplay and a CD player. Search for older Sony models on eBay and Amazon and I'd bet there are a couple that might fit what you are looking for design / functionality wise.

 

[DWilliam]

Watching YouTube has me kind of confused. Does the wiring harness supplied by Crutchfield hook the head unit to the factory amp, or another harness? Is there a separate harness for the factory amp?

 

[Ripper238]

Kenwood DMX has a volume knob and is definitely top tier with all the features and the ability to expand. I have the DMX 1037S with maestro so I can get tire pressure, temp and tons of other features. I can even reset engine codes with it.

 

[Auce]

Watching YouTube has me kind of confused. Does the wiring harness supplied by Crutchfield hook the head unit to the factory amp, or another harness? Is there a separate harness for the factory amp?

Stock amp needs to be bypassed, then you might as well just toss it.

 

[Auce]

Kenwood DMX has a volume knob and is definitely top tier with all the features and the ability to expand. I have the DMX 1037S with maestro so I can get tire pressure, temp and tons of other features. I can even reset engine codes with it.

Ripper, is Maestro an App? I need this!

 

[Rushthezeppelin]

Stock amp needs to be bypassed, then you might as well just toss it.

It doesn't have to be, there are harnesses that you can splice to the aftermarket head unit harness that go to the stock amp. That said if you are a big audio person you probably want a better amp but it you just want someone that works, the stick amp is adequate.

 

[DWilliam]

Ok so just making sure I get my ducks in a row before I place my Crutchfield order and pull the dash apart. I can just remove the stock amp? Then my head unit and harness plug into the existing harness, and that’s it? Is it that easy?

I just want to make sure I don’t get into it and then have to wait a couple days for parts before I can put everything back together.

 

[Ripper238]

Ripper, is Maestro an App? I need this!

Its an iDatalink link kit that allows your 4Runner to communicate with your head unit, for/like the Kenwood DMX models.


Maestro Features | Maestro Fit Guide

 

[Ripper238]

Ok so just making sure I get my ducks in a row before I place my Crutchfield order and pull the dash apart. I can just remove the stock amp? Then my head unit and harness plug into the existing harness, and that’s it? Is it that easy?

I just want to make sure I don’t get into it and then have to wait a couple days for parts before I can put everything back together.

Do your self a huge favor. Go to a local car audio shop and price out what you want to do. This way you will know all you need and hopefully you decide to have them do it. This is no small project.

Its not as simple as just replacing the head unit and plugging it in, especially if you want good sound quality and Maestro integration. Besides, you will be spending over 1k on the head unit alone, do it right.